In his book 'Metamorphoses', the Roman poet Ovid tells the story of Battus and Mercury. Battus, an old shepherd, witnessed Mercury stealing Apollo's cattle. Mercury gave Battus a heifer on condition that he tells no one. Mercury returned in disguise and tricked Battus into revealing the location of the cattle by offering him a cow and a bull. Mercury punished Battus by turning him to stone. After the death of Peter Paul Rubens in 1640, Jacob Jordaens was the most important painter of large commissions in Antwerp.
Specifications
| Title | Mercury and Battus |
|---|---|
| Material and technique | Oil on panel |
| Object type |
Painting
> Painting
> Two-dimensional object
> Art object
|
| Location | This object is in storage |
| Dimensions |
Width 133,1 cm Height 85,7 cm |
|---|---|
| Artists |
Painter:
Jacob Jordaens (I)
|
| Accession number | 3196 (OK) |
| Credits | Loan Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, 1990 |
| Department | Old Masters |
| Acquisition date | 1990 |
| Creation date | in 1635 - 1640 |
| Material | |
| Object | |
| Geographical origin | Southern Netherlands > The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe |
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All about the artist
Jacob Jordaens (I)
Antwerpen 1593 - Antwerpen 1678
Jacob Jordaens worked as an assistant of Rubens. After the death of Rubens, Jordaens completed a number of paintings that were intended for Spain. The influence...
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